University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

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dc.contributor

Children's hospital

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Saarinen, Riitta

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dc.date.accessioned

2012-09-03T08:52:37Z

dc.date.available

2012-09-25

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dc.date.available

2012-09-03T08:52:37Z

dc.date.issued

2012-10-05

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URN:ISBN:978-952-10-8236-8

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http://hdl.handle.net/10138/36427

dc.description.abstract

In parotitis, one or both of the parotid glands swell, causing pain while eating, reduced mouth opening, and in some cases fever. Before the vaccination era, mumps was the commonest cause of childhood parotitis. Nowadays acute pediatric parotitis is rare, and the causative agent(s) are not fully known. It is assumed that other viruses in addition to mumps virus are capable of causing similar symptoms. Some children develop recurrent symptoms i.e. juvenile recurrent parotitis (JRP). If symptoms are frequent, this condition can be quite life-disruptive. Fortunately, JRP often resolves in puberty. The etiology and pathophysiology of this juvenile recurrent parotid inflammation are other aspects currently not completely understood.
The aim of the present study was to assess the epidemiology, etiology, clinical picture, and outcome for pediatric parotitis at present. In addition, it addresses differential diagnosis and complications.
A group of 41 children aged ≤17 with acute parotid inflammation was collected prospectively for this study that reported clinical characteristics, treatment, outcome and complications. Another group of 133 children was collected retrospectively with the clinical picture of their disease reported, as well. The serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 1 (SPINK-1) genotype was tested in 88 parotitis patients, since mutation of this gene disposes to pancreatitis, and salivary glands bear some resemblance to the pancreas in function. To map the etiology of parotitis, a questionnaire about history of parotitis, and parotid gland -related symptoms went to 1,000 adolescents randomly selected. In addition, human herpes viruses (HHVs) from saliva samples of children with acute parotid inflammation, and from healthy controls were tested. To assess the differential diagnosis and complications of parotitis, the database of Helsinki University Central Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, was searched according to ICD-10 codes in order to find all children diagnosed and treated due to osteomyelitis or parotid abscess.
All prospectively studied children with acute parotitis were in good general condition, and most episodes of parotitis in childhood seem to have a benign course. Half these children were treated only with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, parotid symptoms have a tendency to recur in about half the cases. About 1% of the respondents to the epidemiologic survey had suffered from parotitis.
Heredity similar to pancreatitis could not be shown, since no difference emerged in SPINK-1 genotype in children with parotitis compared to controls. HHVs seem to play no role in acute juvenile parotitis, but are instead common findings in saliva. Osteomyelitis of the head and neck region is rare, but important in differential diagnosis of children with recurrent parotid symptoms. Parotitis-related complications are rare. Parotid abscesses are multi-bacterial infections with intravenous antibiotic therapy being the cornerstone of treatment. Surgical drainage assists in recovery and does not lead to fistula formation.
In conclusion, according to this study juvenile parotitis has a frequency close to 1%, it has a tendency to recur, and in most cases the overall condition of the child is good during the infection. Osteomyelitis as a differential diagnosis must be kept in mind when treating recurrent symptoms of the parotid area. Abscesses related to parotitis are rare. The full etiology of juvenile parotitis still remains to be discovered.